Device and method for recording an information signal in a record carrier in which a temporary store is formed on the record carrier, the temporary store being continuously overwritten with the information signal

ABSTRACT

A device for recording an information signal in a record carrier without loss of part of an information signal at the beginning of a recording, includes a processing circuit for processing an information signal and for supplying a recording information signal, an input device for supplying activation information and wait information, and an operating device for recording, after the activation information, a recording information signal in the record carrier and, after the wait information, for consecutively overwriting storage in a temporary store. An area of the record carrier is selected as the temporary store, and the operating device starts consecutively overwriting storage of a recording information signal in the selected temporary store after the wait information, and stops a consecutively overwriting storage after the activation information.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a device for recording an information signalsupplied by a signal source in a record carrier without loss of part ofthe information signal at the beginning of a recording, comprisingprocessing means for processing the information signal and for supplyinga recording information signal, input means for supplying activationinformation and wait information, and operating means, cooperating withat least a part of the processing means and with the input means, foreffecting a recording of a recording information signal in the recordcarrier in dependence upon the occurrence of the activation information,and for effecting a consecutively overwriting storage of the recordinginformation signal in a temporary store at least in dependence upon theoccurrence of the wait information.

The invention further relates to a method of recording an informationsignal in a record carrier without loss of part of the informationsignal at the beginning of a recording, the method comprising the steps:processing the information signal and supplying a recording informationsignal, generating activation information and wait information,recording the recording information signal in dependence upon theoccurrence of the activation information, and storing, in aconsecutively overwriting fashion, the recording information signal in atemporary store at least in dependence upon the occurrence of the waitinformation.

2. Description of the Related Art

Such a device of the type defined in the first paragraph and such amethod of the type defined in the second paragraph, are known, forexample, from European Patent Application No. EP 0 440 017 B1,corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,092. The known device includesprocessing means comprising a receiving device and a temporary storewhich follows the receiving device and is formed by an endless-loopmagnetic tape. The length of the endless-loop magnetic tape dictates themaximum recording time of the temporary store. The known device furtherincludes operating means, also comprising the afore-mentioned temporarystore, as well as a recording device for recording recording informationsignals on a record carrier, the record carrier being formed by amagnetic tape, just as the temporary store, but not by an endless-loopmagnetic tape, as in the case of the temporary store.

In the known device, received information signals are recorded in thetemporary store as recording information signals and are reproduced fromthe temporary store delayed by the maximum recording time of thetemporary store. The recording information signals, which have beenreproduced with a time delay, are recorded on the record carrier. Thus,at the beginning of a recording on the record carrier, this recordingbeing initiated by activation information, the recording informationsignal, recorded in the temporary store before the occurrence of theactivation information and subsequently reproduced from the temporarystore, is first recorded on the record carrier for a period of timecorresponding to the maximum recording time in the temporary store, andsubsequently, the recording information signal, received after theoccurrence of the activation information and also recorded in thetemporary store and then read from the temporary store, is recorded onthe record carrier.

However, it has been found that in the known device, the recordinginformation signals recorded on the record carrier have a signal qualitywhich is degraded in comparison with that of the received informationsignals, this being attributable to the recording in the temporary storeand the subsequent read-out from the temporary store. Moreover, theperiod of time is fixed by the length of the endless-loop magnetic tapeand is limited, so that it is not possible to adapt the period of timeto the given application. Furthermore, as a result of the fact thatrecording information signals are recorded on the record carrier delayedby the period of time, this imposes limitations on the use of the devicebecause the period of time needs to pass before any further steps can betaken. Besides, realizing a temporary store by means of an endless-loopmagnetic tape is expensive and complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to preclude the afore-mentionedproblems in a device of the type defined in the first paragraph and toimprove a device of the type defined in the first paragraph and a methodof the type defined in the second paragraph, and provide an improveddevice and an improved method which guarantee that information signalsare recorded without loss of an information signal portion at thebeginning of a recording, i.e., at the beginning of a recording process,in a simple manner and by simple means.

According to the invention, in order to achieve this object in a deviceof the type defined in the first paragraph, an arbitrarily assignablearea of the record carrier is selected as temporary store and theoperating means starts a consecutively overwriting storage of arecording information signal in an area of the record carrier selectedas a temporary store in dependence upon the occurrence of a waitinformation, and the operating means stops a consecutively overwritingstorage of a recording information signal in an area of the recordcarrier selected as a temporary store, in dependence upon the occurrenceof an activation information, and the operating means generates andrecords a recording information signal which includes information signalpackets and address signal packets, the information signal packetscorresponding to the information signals and the address signal packetsincluding address information by means of which, during a reproductionof information signal packets recorded in an area of the record carrierselected as temporary store and information signal packets recorded infurther areas of the record carrier, the time sequence of the reproducedinformation signal packets can be defined for the purpose of linkingsaid information signal packets.

By means of the measures in accordance with the invention, it isachieved, in a simple manner, that, as compared with the receivedinformation signals, the signal quality of the recording informationsignals recorded on the record carrier is not degraded as a result of anadditional recording process in a separate temporary store and anadditional reproduction process from the separate temporary store.Moreover, it is possible to vary the recording time in the temporarystore, i.e., the period of time, by selecting or defining an arbitrarilylarge part of the record carrier as the temporary store, thus enablingthe maximum recording time of the temporary store to be adapted to thegiven case of use, no delayed recording of recording information signalsin the record carrier occurs, as a result of which no time limitationsare imposed on the use of the device. Furthermore, a substantial costreduction is achieved in that a separate temporary store is obviated.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures defined above, it has proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the operating means generates and records at least one item oflinkage address information in dependence upon the occurrence ofactivation information following the wait information, whereby at leastone item of linkage address information, during reproduction ofinformation signal packets recorded in the record carrier, informationsignal packets reproduced from an area of the record carrier selected astemporary store and further reproduced information signal packets can belinked together in their appropriate time sequence, and by means ofwhich also the first information signal packet recorded in the recordcarrier in dependence upon the occurrence of activation information canbe linked, during reproduction, after the last information signal packetrecorded in the area of the record carrier selected as temporary store.Thus, it is achieved, in a simple manner, that during reproduction, theinformation signal packet recorded in the temporary store directlybefore the occurrence of activation information, is reproduced directlybefore the first information signal packet recorded in the recordcarrier in dependence upon the occurrence of the activation information.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures defined above, it has further proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the operating means generates and records at least one item oflinkage address information whereby, during reproduction, an informationsignal packet, recorded in an area of the record carrier selected astemporary store, can be linked after the information signal packetrecorded in the record carrier directly before the occurrence of waitinformation. Thus, a device is obtained in which it is also possible,during reproduction, to insert only a part of the information signalpackets recorded in the temporary store into the information signalpackets recorded on the record carrier. Consequently, the period of timeduring which the information signal packets are reproduced from thetemporary store, can be selected freely within a time interval notlonger than the maximum recording time in the temporary store, and canbe adapted to the given application. Such an adaptation of the period oftime to an application can also be effected afterwards.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures defined above, it has further proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the operating means generates and records at least one item oflinkage address information whereby, during reproduction, an informationsignal packet, recorded in an area of the record carrier selected astemporary store and arranged as the next information signal packet to beoverwritten upon termination of the consecutively overwriting storage inthe area of the record carrier selected as temporary store, can belinked after the information signal packet recorded in the recordcarrier directly before the occurrence of wait information. In this way,it is achieved that the maximum recording time in a temporary store towhich wait information and activation information is assigned, is usedas the period of time, and that during reproduction, all the informationsignal packets stored in the temporary store are inserted between theinformation signal packet recorded on the record carrier before theoccurrence of the wait information and the information signal packetrecorded on the record carrier in dependence upon the activationinformation. Thus, all the recording information signals recorded on therecord carrier are reproduced during reproduction, and the recordingcapacity of the record carrier is utilized in a particularlyadvantageous manner.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures defined above, it has also proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the operating means generates and records at least one item oflinkage address information whereby, during reproduction, an informationsignal packet, recorded in an area of the record carrier selected astemporary store and arranged at a given distance before the lastinformation signal packet recorded upon termination of the consecutivelyoverwriting storage in the area of the record carrier selected astemporary store, can be linked after the information signal packetrecorded in the record carrier directly before the occurrence of waitinformation. In this way, it is achieved that the period of time is setto a given time which is always the same and corresponds to the givendistance, and that information signals recorded during this fixed periodof time before the occurrence of activation information, can bereproduced before the information signal packets recorded after theoccurrence of the activation information. Moreover, it is possible toprolong the period of time subsequently to the maximum recording time inthe temporary store.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures defined above, it has further proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the operating means overwrites address information recorded inthe record carrier with linkage address information. Thus, it isachieved, in a simple manner, that address information in address signalpackets can also be overwritten subsequently by linkage addressinformation and, consequently, an information signal packet associatedwith an address signal packet can also be re-sequenced afterwards.Moreover, this results in an optimum use of the recording capacity inthe record carrier.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures above, it has further proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the operating means selects, as the temporary store, an areaof the record carrier which directly adjoins that area of the recordcarrier in which an information signal packet has been recordedimmediately before the occurrence of the wait information. In this way,it is achieved that, in the case that the time between the instant atwhich wait information occurs and the instant at which activationinformation occurs is shorter than the maximum recording time in thetemporary store, the information signal packets recorded in thetemporary store are inserted in the information signal packets recordedtime-sequentially on the record carrier without address informationbeing overwritten by linkage address information. As a result of this, adefragmentation of information signal packets, as known from the fieldof computer technology, is not necessary.

In the case of such a defragmentation of information signal packets,information signal packets which, during reproduction, are reproduceddirectly after one another on the basis of linkage address information,are rearranged in adjacent areas on the record carrier. This providesfaster access to the information signal packets during reproduction. Forthe above application, a device in accordance with the invention doesnot require defragmentation of information signal packets, which savesprocessing time in the device and device costs.

Conversely, when the time between the instant at which wait informationoccurs and the instant at which activation information occurs, is longerthan the maximum recording time in the temporary store, the directcontiguity of information signal packets which succeed one another intime on the record carrier is disrupted at not more than threepositions, i.e., the beginning of the temporary storage area, the end ofthe temporary storage area and the end of the recording in the temporarystore, the positioning paths to be covered on the record carrier beingdictated only by the size of the temporary store, as a result of whichthey can be kept sufficiently small for any application.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures defined above, it has also proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the operating means cooperates with a random-access orquasi-random-access memory as the record carrier. With such arandom-access or quasi-random-access memory, which allows a particularlyrapid location of a storage address of an information signal packet ofan arbitrary area of the record carrier for recording an informationsignal packet and for reproducing the information signal packet, it ispossible to realize a temporary store in a particularly effective mannerby means of an arbitrarily definable area of the record carrier.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures defined above, it has further proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the device includes a built-in record carrier. In this way, adevice in accordance with the invention can be realized in aparticularly cheap, compact and mechanically robust manner.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures defined above, it has further proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the device further comprises holder means for holding a recordcarrier and from which a record carrier being held can be removed. Inthis way, a multiplicity of record carriers can be processed one afterthe other in the device.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures defined above, it has further proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the holder means holds a solid-state memory accommodated in aprotective carrier as a record carrier. In a record carrier formed by asemiconductor memory, a part of the record carrier can be definedparticularly simply as a temporary store. Moreover, a semiconductormemory does not have any moving parts, as a result of which a long lifeof the device in accordance with the invention is achieved.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures defined above, it has further proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the holder means holds an optically scanned disc as a recordcarrier. By means of an optically scanned disc, which can be, forexample, a DVD-RAM, an MO Disc, a CD Rewritable or an MD Disc, it isalso possible to define a very large area of the record carrier as atemporary store in a particularly simple and cheap manner.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures defined above, it has also proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the holder means holds a magnetically scanned disc as a recordcarrier. A magnetically scanned disc, which can, for example, be formedby a hard-disc drive, provides particularly short access times to theinformation signal packets recorded on the record carrier, as a resultof which information signal packets with a very high data rate, forexample, video signals, can be reproduced from such a disc with asatisfactory reproduction speed.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures defined above, it has further proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the holder means holds a magnetic-tape cassette whichaccommodates a magnetic tape as a record carrier. In this way, amagnetic tape, which is a very cheap bulk storage device, can be used asrecord carrier in a device in accordance with the invention.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures defined above, it has also proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the device is constructed as a video recorder for recordingvideo signals and audio signals. In this way, a low-cost video recorderis obtained, for which a delayed recording decision does not lead toloss of part of the information at the beginning of a recording.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures defined above, it has also proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the device is constructed as a dictation device for recordingspeech signals, preferably as a speech-controlled dictation device whichcan be activated by speech signals to be recorded. In this way, alow-cost dictation device is obtained, for which a delayed recordingdecision does not lead to loss of part of the speech signal at thebeginning of a recording and, in the preferential case of avoice-controlled version, a dictation device for speech signal recordingis obtained which also, in the case of a recording controlled by athreshold detector, prevents loss of a part of a speech signal at thebeginning of a recording.

In a device in accordance with the invention having the characteristicfeatures defined above, it has also proven to be advantageous if, inaddition, the device is constructed as a data storage device forrecording digital data supplied by a signal source. In this way, digitaldata received from the data storage device can be tested for validityand relevance for the user, and in the case of a positive test result,the digital data can be recorded without loss of a part of the digitaldata at the beginning of the recording.

In order to achieve the afore-mentioned object, a method of the typedefined in the second paragraph is characterized in that the methodincludes the further steps: selecting an arbitrarily assignable area ofthe record carrier as a temporary store, starting a consecutivelyoverwriting storage of a recording information signal in the area of therecord carrier selected as the temporary store in dependence upon theoccurrence of a wait information, stopping a consecutively overwritingstorage of the recording information signal in the area of the recordcarrier selected as the temporary store in dependence upon theoccurrence of activation information, and generating and recording therecording information signal, which includes information signal packetsand address signal packets, the information signal packets correspondingto the information signals and the address signal packets includingaddress information, whereby, during a reproduction of informationsignal packets recorded in an area of the record carrier selected astemporary store and information signal packets recorded in further areasof the record carrier, the time sequence of the reproduced informationsignal packets can be defined for the purpose of linking saidinformation signal packets. In this way, advantages which correspond tothe advantages described hereinbefore for a device in accordance withthe invention having the characteristic features defined above, areobtained for a method in accordance with the invention.

The afore-mentioned aspects as well as further aspects of the inventionwill be apparent from the embodiments described hereinafter by way ofexamples and will be elucidated with reference to these embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference tofour embodiments shown in the drawings and given by way of examples, butto which the invention is not limited, in which:

FIG. 1 shows, diagrammatically, a combined video recorder/hard diskapparatus by means of which video films can be edited and which includesa device in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows, diagrammatically, an area of a magnetic disc of ahard-disk drive of device in accordance with the invention included inthe apparatus shown in FIG. 1, in which area a recording informationsignal is stored in information signal packets and address signalpackets;

FIG. 3, similarly to FIG. 2, shows, diagrammatically, an area of themagnetic disc of the hard-disk drive, which area forms a temporarystore, and in which a part of the information signal packets stored inthe temporary store is inserted by means of linkage address informationin information signal packets recorded in other areas of the recordcarrier;

FIG. 4, similarly to FIGS. 2 and 3, shows, diagrammatically, a furtherarea of the magnetic disc of the hard-disk drive, which area forms atemporary store, and in which two parts of the information signalpackets stored in the temporary store are inserted by means of linkageaddress information in information signal packets recorded in otherareas of the record carrier;

FIG. 5, similarly to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, shows, diagrammatically, an areaof the magnetic disc of the hard-disk drive, which area forms atemporary store, and in which all the information signal packets storedin the temporary store are inserted by means of linkage addressinformation in information signal packets recorded in other areas of therecord carrier;

FIG. 6 shows, diagrammatically, a device in accordance with a secondembodiment of the invention, which is constructed as a dictation machinefor the recording of speech signals and which is constructed to beactivated by speech signals to be recorded;

FIG. 7 shows, diagrammatically, a device in accordance with a thirdembodiment of the invention, which is constructed as a data storagedevice for the recording of digital data supplied by a signal source;

FIG. 8 shows, diagrammatically, a device in accordance with a fourthembodiment of the invention, which is constructed as a magnetic-tapevideo recorder for the recording of video signals from a supervisorycamera during a very long supervision period; and

FIG. 9 shows an area of a magnetic tape which forms a record carrier,which magnetic tape is also used as a temporary store in themagnetic-tape video recorder shown in FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows, diagrammatically, a combined video recorder/hard diskapparatus, hereinafter referred to as the apparatus 1, and whichincludes a device 2 in accordance with a first embodiment of theinvention.

The apparatus 1 comprises a magnetic-tape video recorder section 3,which is constructed to record a video signal, applied to a video input4 of the magnetic-tape video recorder section 3, on a magnetic-tapecassette 5. The magnetic-tape video recorder section 3 is furtherconstructed to reproduce a video signal recorded on a magnetic-tapecassette 5 and to supply the reproduced video signal to a first videooutput 6 and a second video output 7. The apparatus 1 further has ahard-disk/video recorder section which forms the device 2, this device 2having an information input 8 connected to the second video output 7 ofthe magnetic-tape video recorder section 3. The device 2 further has ahard-disk drive 9 and is constructed to record an information signal inthe hard-disk drive 9 without loss of an information signal portion 10at the beginning of a recording, this information signal being suppliedfrom the magnetic-tape video recorder section 3, which now forms asignal source for the device 2, to the information signal input 8 of thedevice 2. The device 2 is further constructed to reproduce informationsignals I from the hard-disk drive 9.

By means of the apparatus 1, a video film recorded on the magnetic tapeof a magnetic-tape cassette 5 can be reproduced by the magnetic-tapevideo recorder section 3, the device 2 enabling only information signalportions of the video film which are desired by the user to be recordedon the magnetic disc of the hard-disk drive 9. Thus, the apparatus 1 canbe used as a video editing apparatus.

The apparatus 1 has an input 11 at which the apparatus 1 can receive atelevision signal from a signal source not shown in FIG. 1. Theapparatus 1 includes a tuner device 12 having a demodulator 13 and amodulator 14. The demodulator 13 is connected to the input 11 of theapparatus 1, via which a television signal supplied to the input 11 canbe applied to the demodulator 13. A television signal which has beendemodulated by the demodulator 13 can be applied as a video signal toinput signal processing means 15. In the input signal processing means15, the video signal is applied to and processed by a plurality offilter stages and amplifier stages, not shown in FIG. 1, in knownmanner. A processed video signal supplied by the input signal processingmeans 15 can be applied to a first input 16 of an input source selector17. The input source selector 17 has a second input 18 via whichinformation signals reproduced by the hard-disk drive 9 of the device 2can be applied to the input source selector 17.

The apparatus 1 has input means 19 for controlling the magnetic-tapevideo recorder section 3. The input means 19 includes a recording sourceselection key 20 via which a control signal QS can be supplied to acontrol input 21 of the input source selector 17. Depending on thecontrol signal QS supplied by the recording source selection key 20, theinput source selector 17 connects its first input 16 or its second input18 to an output 22 of the input source selector 17. The output 22 of theinput source selector 17 is connected to the video input 4 of themagnetic-tape video recorder section 3. As a consequence, either aprocessed video signal supplied by the input signal processing means 15or an information signal I reproduced by the device 2 can be applied tothe video input 4 of the magnetic-tape video recorder section 3.

The magnetic-tape video recorder section 3 comprises operating means 23including recording processing means 24, reproduction processing means25 and control means 26. The recording processing means 24 is connectedto the video input 4. The recording processing means 24 includes filterstages and amplifier stages, which are not shown in FIG. 1. Therecording processing means 24 processes a video signal received from thevideo input 4 into a recording video signal for recording on a magnetictape of the magnetic-tape cassette 5.

In the magnetic-tape video recorder section 3, the input means 19comprises a recording key 27 for activating a recording mode in themagnetic-tape video recorder section 3. The control means 26 of theoperating means 23 is constructed to control the recording of recordingvideo signals supplied by the recording processing means 24 on themagnetic tape of the magnetic-tape cassette 5 when the recording mode isactive. For this purpose, the control means 26 controls the transportspeed of the magnetic tape in the recording mode in known manner, notshown, via two diagrammatically shown operating connections 29 and 30.The magnetic tape is then moved past a scanner, not shown in FIG. 1, arecording video signal being recorded on the magnetic tape, as iswell-known, by means of magnetic heads in this scanner when themagnetic-tape video recorder section 3 is in the recording mode.

The input means 19 further has a reproduction key 28 for activating areproduction mode in the magnetic-tape video recorder section 3. Thecontrol means 26 is constructed to control the reproduction of recordingvideo signals recorded on the magnetic tape of the magnetic-tapecassette when the reproduction mode is active. For this purpose, thecontrol means 26 controls the transport speed of the magnetic tape ofthe magnetic-tape cassette in known manner via the two operatingconnections 29 and 30. The reproduction video signals reproduced fromthe magnetic tape of the magnetic-tape cassette 5 in the reproductionmode can be applied to the reproduction processing means 25. Thereproduction processing means 25 includes filter stages and amplifierstages, which are not shown in FIG. 1. The reproduction processing means25 processes an applied reproduction video signal, this processed videosignal being applied both to the first video output 6 and to the secondvideo output 7 of the magnetic-tape video recorder section 3.

A video signal supplied to the first video output 6 of the magnetic-tapevideo recorder section 3 can be applied to output signal processingmeans 31. The output signal processing means 31 processes a video signalby means of filter stages and amplifier stages, which are not shown inFIG. 1. A processed video signal supplied by the output signalprocessing means 31 is applied to the modulator 14 of the tuner device12. A video signal which has been modulated in the modulator 14 isapplied to an output 32 of the apparatus 1, and from this output 32 toan apparatus which can be connected to the output 32, for example, atelevision set, which is not shown in FIG. 1. Moreover, informationsignals I reproduced by the hard-disk drive 9 of the device 2 can beapplied to the output signal processing means 31, these informationsignals I being applicable from the output signal processing means 31 toa television signal connected to the output 32, via the modulator 14 andthe output 32.

The device 2 has processing means 33 for processing an informationsignal, which is applied to the information signal input 8 of the device2 and, in the present case, is formed by a video signal reproduced fromthe magnetic tape of the magnetic-tape cassette 5, and for supplying arecording information signal W. A recording information signal W can bestored in an area of a record carrier, which in the present case isformed by a magnetically-scanned disc 34 of the hard-disk drive 9, thissignal being stored in information signal sections 10, predecessoraddress signal sections 35 and successor address signal sections, aswill be described in more detail hereinafter in the description of anarea of a magnetic disc 34 shown in FIG. 2.

The processing means 33 includes input processing means 37 and furtherrecording processing means 38. The input processing means 37 includesfilter stages, an analog-to-digital converter stage, a compression stageand amplifier stages, which are not shown in FIG. 1. The inputprocessing means 37 processes an information signal applied from theinformation signal input 8 to the input processing means 37. A processedinformation signal is supplied from the input processing means 37 to thefurther recording processing means 38. The further recording processingmeans 38 processes an information signal applied to it by the inputprocessing means 37 and supplies a recording information signal W to thehard-disk drive 9, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The device 2 further has further input means 39 which includes a cut-inkey 40, a position key 44 and a linkage key 45. In the present case, thefurther input means 39 supplies control information to further operatingmeans 46 provided in the device 2. The further operating means 46includes the further recording processing means 38, further reproductionprocessing means 47 and further control means 48. The further controlmeans 48 controls the speed of the magnetic disc 34 and the position ofa magnetic head, not shown in FIG. 1, relative to the magnetic disc 34in a recording mode and a reproduction mode in known manner via afurther operating connection 49. The further control means 48 furthergenerates address information AD corresponding to the instantaneousposition of the magnetic head, and supplies this address information ADto the further recording processing means 38.

The further reproduction processing means 47 includes adigital-to-analog converter stage, a decompression stage, filter stagesand amplifier stages, which are not shown in FIG. 1. The furtherreproduction processing means 47 processes reproduction informationsignals R.

Activation information AI can be supplied to the further operating means46 by means of the cut-in key 40, this information enabling a continuousrecording mode to be activated in the device 2. The further operatingmeans 46 continuously records a recording information signal W on themagnetic disc 34 of the hard-disk drive 9 in the continuous recordingmode, as is shown in FIG. 2.

By means of the cut-out key 41, wait information WI can be supplied tothe further operating means 46, thereby enabling a wait recording modeto be activated in the device 2. The further operating means 46designates an area of the magnetic disc 34 as a temporary store 50, thisbeing effected when the device 2 is set to the wait recording mode. Thefurther operating means 46 further starts the consecutive overwritingstorage of a recording information signal W in the area of the magneticdisc 34 forming the temporary store 50 in dependence upon the occurrenceof wait information WI, such starting being effected when the waitrecording mode is active in the device 2. The further operating means 46further terminates a consecutive overwriting storage of a recordinginformation signal W in the temporary store 50 in dependence upon theoccurrence of activation information AI, such a termination beingeffected when, in the wait recording mode of the device 2, thecontinuous recording mode is activated.

FIG. 2 represents, diagrammatically, an area of the magnetic disc 34 ofthe hard-disk drive 9 in which a recording information signal W isstored in information signal sections 10 and in address signal sectionsformed by predecessor address signal sections 35 and successor addresssignal sections 36. Information signal packets IP recorded on themagnetic disc 34 in information signal sections 10 correspond to theinformation signals because, in the input processing means 37, theinformation signals applied to the information signal input 8 of thedevice 2 are digitized by the analog-to-digital converter stage, aresubsequently compressed by the compression stage, and are then recordedas a compressed digital signal in the information signal packets IP. Itis to be noted that the information signals can alternatively be storedas analog signals in information signal packets IP, as is described fora fourth embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention shownin FIG. 8. By means of address information AD contained in predecessoraddress packets IV and successor address packets IN recorded in addresssignal sections on the magnetic disc 34, the time sequence of thereproduced information signal packets IP is defined for the purpose oflinking these packets—in the case of a reproduction of informationsignal packets IP recorded in an area of the magnetic disc 34 selectedas the temporary store 50 (see FIG. 3) and information signal packets IPrecorded in further areas of the magnetic disc 34. An information signalpacket IP_(n) is then associated with a predecessor address packetIV_(n) and a successor address packet IN_(n), these three packetsforming an aggregate packet 51 _(n).

The predecessor address packet IV_(n) of the aggregate packet 51 _(n)contains address information specifying a position on the magnetic disc34, this position being marked symbolically by a successor pointer link53 _(n) in FIG. 2. The successor pointer link 53 _(n) marks the positionon the magnetic disc 34 where the aggregate packet 51 _(n+1) is storedon the magnetic disc 34.

In a reproduction mode, to which the device 2 can be set by theactuation of a reproduction key 43, the sequence of the reproducedinformation signal packets IP is defined by the address information ADstored in the predecessor address packets IV and in the successoraddress packets IN. In the reproduction mode, the aggregate packets 51,which form the reproduction information signal R and which arereproduced in the correct sequence under control of the further controlmeans 48, are decompressed by the decompression stage and converted intoan analog signal by the digital-to-analog converter stage in the furtherreproduction processing means 47, this analog signal being applied toboth the second input 18 of the input source selector 17 and to theoutput signal processing means 31 as a reproduced information signal I.

In computer technology, such a linkage of information signal packets IPwith predecessor address packets IV and successor address packets IN isknown as a double linked list. It is to be noted that the measures inaccordance with the invention can also be applied in conjunction with asingle linked list in which information signal packets IP are linkedeither exclusively by predecessor address packets IV or exclusively bysuccessor address packets IN, as will be described in more detail withreference to the fourth embodiment of the invention. If the informationsignal packets should be reproducible both in a normal reproduction modeand in a reverse reproduction mode, comparable to a physical film, theuse of a double linked list is imperative.

FIG. 3 shows, diagrammatically, an area of the magnetic disc 34 of thehard-disk drive 9 of the device 2, this area forming a temporary store50 and in which information signal packets IP stored in a first mergingsection 54 have been merged with information signal packets IP recordedin other areas of the magnetic disc 34.

When the apparatus 1 is used as a video editor and a video film recordedon the magnetic tape of a magnetic-tape cassette 5 is to be edited, ofwhich video film the user of the apparatus 1 wishes to record onlydesired information signal portions of the video signal on the hard-diskdrive 9, the video signal can be reproduced from the magnetic tape ofthe magnetic-tape cassette 5 by actuation of the reproduction key 28 ofthe magnetic-tape video recorder section 3. The user of the apparatus 1can view the reproduced video film on a television set connected to theoutput 32 of the apparatus 1. While viewing the video film, the user ofthe apparatus 1 can store a desired fragment of the video film on themagnetic disc 34 by actuating the cut-in key 40 and can terminate thestorage, previously started by actuation of the cut-in key 40, byactuating the cut-out key 41 when an undesired fragment of the videofilm begins. Since the user of the apparatus 1 decides whether thefragment just viewed is desired or is not desired while the video filmis being viewed, the recording decision of the user by actuation of thecut-in key 40 is generally taken too late. In order to avoid losing apart of the video film when the recording begins in spite of a laterecording decision of the user, the video film is stored in thetemporary store 50 by consecutive overwriting after actuation of thecut-out key 41. Thus, for a period of time selected by the user of theapparatus 1, this time being not longer than the maximum recording timein the temporary store 50, a part of the video film reproduced by themagnetic-tape video recorder section 3 before the actuation of thecut-in key 40 can be reproduced during reproduction from the hard-diskdrive 9 and is therefore not lost. The maximum recording time in thetemporary store 50 can be, for example, ten (10) seconds and theselected period of time can be five (5) seconds, but after therecording, the user of the apparatus 1 can subsequently also defineanother period of time, which will be discussed in more detailhereinafter.

By the actuation of the cut-in key 40 of the device 2, the device 2 canbe set to the continuous recording mode and the video signal reproducedfrom the magnetic tape of a magnetic-tape cassette 5 can be stored inthe magnetic disc 34 of the hard-disk drive 9 as a recording informationsignal. In the continuous recording mode, the recording informationsignal is recorded in information signal sections 10 and address signalsections 35 and 36 shown in FIG. 2. Upon the occurrence of firstactivation information AI, the recording is started in a first aggregatepacket 51 ₁ and is subsequently continued in the aggregate packet 51 ₂and the subsequently inserted aggregate packets 51 ₃, 51 ₄, 51 ₅ andfurther aggregate packets 51.

When the user of the video recorder does not wish to record a part ofthe reproduced video signals on the magnetic disc 34, the device 2 canbe set to the wait recording mode by actuation of the cut-out key 41,upon which wait information 55 is generated. The further operating means46 now defines a temporary storage area of the magnetic disc 34 store independence on the occurrence of wait information WI. The furtheroperating means 46 particularly defines, as a temporary store, an areaof the magnetic disc 34 which directly adjoins that area of the magneticdisc 34 in which an information signal packet IP_(n) has been recordedimmediately before the occurrence of wait information WI. Consequently,when the aggregate packet 51 _(n) is recorded and the wait information55 occurs, the further operating means 46 defines, as a temporary store,an area of the magnetic disc 34 which directly adjoins the aggregatepacket 51 _(n) recorded upon the occurrence of wait information 55. Thetemporary store 50 can store k aggregate packets 51. The maximumrecording time in the temporary store 50 can be defined and adapted tothe wishes of the user of the video editor by defining the number k ofaggregate packets 51 which can be stored in the temporary store.

When, after actuation of the cut-out key 41, the user of the apparatus 1actuates the cut-in key 40 within the maximum recording time of thetemporary store 50 because the user wishes to record the part of thevideo film just reproduced by the magnetic-tape video recorder section3, the aggregate packets 51 are recorded in the manner illustrated inFIG. 2. The aggregate packets 51 are then recorded on the magnetic disc34 as though the continuous recording mode had not been interrupted. Inthis case, the information signal packets IP are suitably recorded onthe magnetic disc 34 in sequence required for reproduction and specifiedby the predecessor address packets IV and the successor address packetsIN. As a result of this, a defragmentation of information signal packetsIP, as known from the field of computer technology, is not necessary,thus providing a particularly rapid access to the information signalpackets IP, which guarantees a very good reproduction performance of thedevice 2 in the apparatus 1.

When, in the wait recording mode, no activation information AI isgenerated in response to actuation of the cut-in key 40 for a recordingtime longer than the maximum recording time in the temporary store 50, aconsecutive overwriting storage of a recording information signal W inthe temporary store 50 is possible with the aid of the further operatingmeans 46. After recording of the information signal packet IP_(n+k),recording is then continued in the aggregate packet 51 _(n+1), theinformation signal packet IP_(n+1) and consecutive further informationsignal packets IP then being overwritten by information signal packetsIP of the recording information signal W which are to be recorded.However, only the information signal packets IP are then overwritten butnot the address signal packets in the temporary store 50, so that thelinkage of the aggregate packets 51 is maintained by the address signalspackets recorded in the address signal sections until first activationinformation 56 occurs.

When, during recording in the wait recording mode, the first activationinformation 56 occurs in the information signal packet IP_(n+2), linkageaddress information IR is stored in the successor address packetIN_(n+2), this information signal indicating a position on the magneticdisc 34 marked, symbolically, by a successor pointer link 58 and fromwhich a recording information signal W can be recorded in theinformation signal packet IP_(n+k+1) after the occurrence of theactivation information 56. Moreover, upon the occurrence of theactivation information 56, further linkage address information IR isstored in the predecessor address packet IV_(n+k+1) to indicate aposition on the magnetic disc 34, this position being marked,symbolically, by a first predecessor pointer link 57 in FIG. 2 and fromwhich position, the aggregate packet 512 last recorded in the temporarystore 50 is recorded. The further operating means 46 then overwritesaddress information stored in an address signal packet with linkageaddress information IR. By means of said logging of the linkage of theaggregate packets 51 stored in the temporary store 50, it is achievedthat, during reproduction, the information signal packets IP are linkedas follows: IP_(n−1)→IP_(n)→IP_(n+1)→IP_(n+2)→IP_(n+k+1).

Thus, it is achieved that during reproduction, in dependence on theoccurrence of the activation information 56, the information signalpacket IP_(n+k+1), recorded as the first information signal packet inthe magnetic disc 34 of the hard-disk drive 9, is linked after the lastinformation signal packet IP_(n+2) recorded in the area of the magneticdisc 34 selected as the temporary store 50. As a result of this, only apart of the information signal packets IP stored in the temporary store50, in the present case, the first merging section 54, is inserted intothe information signal packets IP recorded in the magnetic disc 34before the occurrence of the wait information 55 and after theoccurrence of the activation information 56. The length of time of thereproduction of the information signal packets IP_(n+1) and IP_(n+2)stored in the first merging section 54 then indicates the period oftime. The period of time can also be changed subsequently, as will bedescribed in more detail hereinafter.

When, after completion of video film editing process, the user of theapparatus 1 views information signals reproduced from the hard-diskdrive 9 of the device 2 by a television set connected to the output 32of the apparatus 1 in a reproduction mode activated by the furtherreproduction key 43, the user can observe that the period of timedictated by the size of the first merging section 54 is too short. Byactuation of the position key 44, the device 2 can be set to apositioning mode in which all the information signal packets IP storedin the temporary store 50, including those not linked by linkage addressinformation IR, can be reproduced. When the user of the apparatus 1actuates the linkage key 45 in the positioning mode, during thereproduction of information signals stored in the information signalpacket IP_(n+3), the predecessor address packets IV and the successoraddress packets IN are overwritten with such linkage address informationIR that, during reproduction, the information signal packets IP arelinked as follows:IP_(n−1)→IP_(n)→IP_(n+1)→IP_(n+2)→IP_(n+3)→IP_(n+k+1). In this way, theperiod of time can also be changed after editing of the video film, themaximum period of time being equal to the maximum recording time in thetemporary store 50.

FIG. 4 shows, diagrammatically, a further area of the magnetic disc 34of the hard-disk drive 9 of the device 2, this further area forming atemporary store 50 and in which information signal packets IP stored insecond merging section 59 comprising two parts are included ininformation signal packets IP recorded in other areas of the magneticdisc 34 with the aid of plurality of linkage address information IR.When, in a manner not shown in FIG 1, the device 2 has been set to aperiod of time T1 which corresponds to the reproduction time of fourinformation signal packets IP, the concatenation of information signalpackets IP, shown in FIG. 4, can be obtained in dependence on theoccurrence of second wait information 60 and second activationinformation 61.

When, after the occurrence of the wait information 60 for the firsttime, a recording is made in the k^(th) aggregate packet 51 _(n+k)stored in the temporary store 50, linkage address information IR, whichindicates a position marked by a second successor pointer link 63 on themagnetic disc 34, is stored in the successor address packet IN_(n+k). Inthe predecessor address packet IV_(n+1), linkage address information IRis stored which indicates a position marked by a second predecessorpointer link 62 on the magnetic disc 34. By means of the secondpredecessor pointer link 62 and the second successor pointer link 63, itis achieved that, during reproduction, the information signal packetIP_(n+k) precedes the information signal packet IP_(n+1).

Upon the occurrence of the second activation information 61, just as inthe case of the first activation information 56 indicated in FIG. 3,linkage address information IR is stored to define a predecessor pointerlink 57 and a successor pointer link 58. By means of the predecessorpointer link 57 and the successor pointer link 58, the first informationsignal packet IP_(n+k+1), stored in the magnetic disc 34 upon theoccurrence of the activation information 61, is included after the lastinformation signal packet IP_(n+2) recorded in the area of the magneticdisc 34 selected as the temporary store 50.

Furthermore, when the activation information 61 occurs, linkage addressinformation IR, which indicates a position marked by a third successorpointer link 65 on the magnetic disc 34, is stored in the last successoraddress packet IN_(n) recorded before the occurrence of the waitinformation 60. Corresponding linkage address information IR is storedin the predecessor address packet IV_(n+k−1) and indicates a positionmarked by a third predecessor pointer link 64 on the magnetic disc 34.With the aid of the further operating means 46, it is then possible togenerate and record the linkage address information IR by means of whichthe information signal packet IP_(n+k+1), recorded in the temporarystore 50 which is arranged at a given distance defined by then period oftime T1 before the last information signal packet IP_(n+2) recorded upontermination of the consecutively overwriting storage in the temporarystore 50 and which, during reproduction, is arranged after theinformation signal packet IP_(n) recorded directly before the occurrenceof the wait information 60.

In this way, it is achieved that, during reproduction, the informationsignal packets IP recorded in the second merging section 59 are includedin the information signal packets IP recorded in the magnetic disc 34before the occurrence of the wait information 60 and after theoccurrence of the activation information 61. Consequently, this yieldsthe following sequence of information signal packets IP duringreproduction of information signal packets IP from the area of themagnetic disc 34 shown in FIG. 5:IP_(n−1)→IP_(n)→IP_(n+k−1)→IP_(n+k)→IP_(n+1)→IP_(n+2)→IP_(n+k+1).

As a result, the advantage is obtained that an information signalsegment with a given period of time T1, corresponding to the secondmerging section 59, which has been reproduced before actuation of thecut-in key 40 by the user of the apparatus 1, is not lost.

It is to be noted that, alternatively, the record carrier can be formedby a plurality of stand-alone record carriers, for example, by twohard-disk drives, which can be controlled by the further operating means46 as a single logical record carrier. This may lead to a cost reductionbecause a plurality of record carriers, which each have a comparativelylow storage capacity, are cheaper than one record carrier having a highstorage capacity.

FIG. 5 shows, diagrammatically, an area of the magnetic disc 34 of thehard-disk drive 9 of the device 2, this area forming a temporary store50, all the information signal packets IP stored in the temporary store50 being included in information signal packets IP recorded in otherareas of the magnetic disc 34 by means of plural linkage addressinformation IR. When in the device 2, in a manner not shown in FIG. 1,the period of time is defined as the maximum recording time in thetemporary store 50, a third merging section 66, which comprises all theinformation signal packets IP stored in the temporary store 50, isincluded between information signal packets IP recorded before theoccurrence of third wait information 67 and after the occurrence ofthird activation information 68, during reproduction. Linkage addressinformation IR for the first predecessor pointer link 57, the firstsuccessor pointer link 58, the second predecessor pointer link 62 andthe second successor pointer link 63, is then laid down in a mannersimilar to that already described for the arrangement of informationsignal packets IP as shown in FIG. 4. Conversely, linkage addressinformation IR is laid down in the predecessor address packet IV_(n+3)and in the successor address packet IN_(n), and, consequently, the thirdpredecessor pointer link 64 and the third successor pointer link 65, isdefined in such a manner that during reproduction the next informationsignal packet IP_(n+3), to be overwritten upon termination of theconsecutively overwriting storage in the temporary store 50, is arrangedafter the information signal packet IP_(n) recorded in the magnetic disc34 directly before the occurrence of the wait information 67. As aresult of this, the following arrangement of the information signalpackets IP is obtained during reproduction of information signal packetsIP from the area of the magnetic disc 34 shown in FIG. 5:IP_(n−1)→IP_(n)→IP_(n+3)→ . . .→IP_(n+k−2)→IP_(n+k−1)→IP_(n+k)→IP_(n+1)→IP_(n+2)→IP_(n+k+1).

In this way, it is achieved that the maximum recording time in thetemporary store 50 is utilized as the period of time. Thus, duringreproduction, all the recording information signals W recorded on therecord carrier are reproduced, and the recording capacity of thehard-disk drive 9 is utilized in a particularly advantageous manner.

In an advantageous manner, the magnetic disc 34 of the hard-disk drive 9is chosen as a record carrier in the device 2 in accordance with thefirst embodiment of the invention, this disc forming a random accessmemory and guaranteeing a random access to the information signalpackets IP stored in the memory. Furthermore, such a random accessmemory is particularly suitable for the storage and reproduction ofinformation signal packets IP recorded in a temporary store and in otherareas of the record carrier. The use of a hard-disk drive 9 enablesparticularly short access times and guarantees a satisfactorily rapidreproduction of information signal packets to be reproduced at a veryhigh data rate.

It is to be noted that a record carrier area which can be defined as atemporary store 50 can also consist of a plurality of areas or of aplurality of record carriers which are combined to form one logical areaby linkage with the aid of address information AD included in addresssignal packets 35 and 36. This address information AD may also includeinformation about the record carrier.

It is to be noted that an editing process of a video film can also bestarted by actuation of the cut-out key 41, in which case, an area ofthe magnetic disc 34 is defined as a temporary store 50 for aconsecutively overwriting storage right at the beginning of the editingprocess.

FIG. 6 shows, diagrammatically, a device 2 in accordance with a secondembodiment of the invention, which is constructed as a dictation machinefor the recording of speech signals and which is constructed to beactivated by speech signals to be recorded. A microphone 69 can beconnected to an information signal input 8 of the device 2 to supply aspeech signal to the device 2. Speech signals can be supplied from theinformation signal input 8 to processing means 33 which is constructedto supply a recording information signal W.

The device 2 shown in FIG. 6 includes holder means 70 for receiving arecord carrier and from which an inserted record carrier can be removedagain. Thus, it is achieved that the device 2 can handle a multiplicityof record carriers one after the other. The record carrier is thenformed by a solid-state memory 71 accommodated in a protective carrier,known as a so-called PCMCIA card (lap-top card).

The device 2 has input means 72 including a recording key 73, a stop key74, a position key 75 and a reproduction key 76. By actuating therecording key 73, a wait recording mode can be activated. The device 2can be set to a further recording mode, namely, a continuous recordingmode, which will be described in more detail hereinafter. When therecording mode is active, a recording information signal W supplied bythe processing means 33 is stored in the solid-state memory 71, therelevant memory address being defined by control means 48 of theoperating means 46 via an operating connection 49. By actuating thereproduction key 76, a reproduction mode can be activated. When thereproduction mode is active, the memory address in the solid-statememory 71, from which a reproduction information signal R can bereproduced from the solid-state memory 71, can be defined by actuationof the position key 75. A reproduction information signal R can beprocessed in reproduction processing means 47 of the operating means 46and can be supplied to the output signal processing means 31. Areproduction information signal R processed in the output signalprocessing means 31 can be applied as a speech signal to a loudspeaker77 of the device 2, this loudspeaker being connected to the outputsignal processing means 31. Both the recording modes and thereproduction mode can be deactivated by actuation of the stop key 74.

The device 2 now has a threshold detector 78 connected to theinformation signal input 8 and arranged to receive a speech signal fromthe microphone 69. The threshold detector 78 is constructed to comparethe amplitude of a speech signal applied to it with a given thresholdvalue and to obtain by this comparison information about the level of aspeech signal received from the microphone 69 or of merely a noisesignal. The threshold detector 78 is constructed to supply activationinformation AI if the comparison in the threshold detector 78 indicatesthat the amplitude of a speech signal applied to the threshold detector79 is higher than the threshold value. The threshold detector 78 isconstructed to supply wait information WI if the comparison in thethreshold detector 78 indicates that the amplitude of a speech signalapplied to the threshold detector 79 or of merely a noise signal isbelow the threshold value. Both the activation information AI and thewait information WI can be applied from the threshold detector 78 to theoperating means 46.

When the device 2 has been set to the wait recording mode by actuationof the recording key 73, the operating means 46 is responsive to anappropriate control signal from the threshold detector 78 to store arecording signal W by consecutive overwriting in an area of thesolid-state memory 71 which can be selected as a temporary store 50,which is effected in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 5 anddescribed with reference to FIG. 5. The temporary store 50 may then havea maximum recording time of, for example, two (2) seconds.

When the device 2 has been set to the wait recording mode and the userof the dictation device formed by the device 2 begins to speak into themicrophone 69, the threshold detector 78 detects a speech signal ofadequate amplitude and supplies activation information AI to theoperating means 46. When activation information AI occurs, the device 2is set to the continuous recording mode, in which the operating means 46effect a continuous storage of a recording information signal W in thesolid-state memory 71, as already described for the corresponding casewith reference to FIG. 5.

The detection process in the threshold detector 78 and the processingtimes from the occurrence of activation information AI till the actualrecording of a recording information signal W in the solid-state memory71 lead to a delayed activation of the speech-controlled continuousrecording mode. This delay of the activation of the speech-controlledcontinuous recording mode can be, for example, 1 to 2 seconds. Suitably,the recording information signal W recorded in the temporary store 50 ismerged with recording information signals recorded in further areas ofthe solid-state memory, as already described for the corresponding casewith reference to FIG. 5. This also precludes a loss of a part of aspeech signal at the beginning of the recording in the case ofspeech-controlled activation of the recording mode.

FIG. 7 shows, diagrammatically, a device 2 in accordance with a thirdembodiment of the invention, which is constructed as a data storagedevice, for example, in a personal computer, for the recording ofdigital data supplied by a signal source. The device 2 has aninformation signal input 8 connected to a data network by a data line79, this data network forming a signal source. The data network can be,for example, a telephone network, a cable TV system or the Internet. Thedigital data supplied by the data network can be text data, graphicdata, acoustic data or other information data. The digital data appliedto the information signal input 8 can be applied to processing means 33for supplying a recording information signal W and to an identificationsignal detector 80. By actuating a recording key 73, a wait recordingmode can be activated. The device 2 can be set to a further recordingmode, namely, a continuous recording mode, which will be described moredetail hereinafter. In the recording mode, a recording informationsignal W supplied by the processing means 33 can be stored in amagneto-optical disc 81, which forms a record carrier and can be loadedinto an MO deck 82 forming holder means for the disc 81.

A reproduction information signal R reproduced from the magneto-opticaldisc 81 in the reproduction mode can be applied to output signalprocessing means 31 via reproduction processing means 47 of theoperating means 46. Reproduction information signals R processed in theoutput processing means 31 can be supplied to the output 32 of thedevice 2 as digital data. A monitor 83, which includes a loudspeaker,can be connected to the output 32. By means of the monitor 83, thedigital data can be displayed optically in the appropriate form or, ifapplicable, they can be reproduced acoustically by means of theloudspeaker of the monitor.

In the device 2, the identification signal detector detects a startidentification signal and a stop identification signal. Theidentification signal detector 80 supplies activation information AIwhen the identification signal detector 80 detects a startidentification signal. The identification signal detector 80 supplieswait information WI when the identification signal detector 80 detects astop identification signal. Both the activation information AI and thewait information WI can be applied to the operating means 46 by theidentification signal detector 80. In a manner not shown in FIG. 7, theuser of the device can adapt both the start identification signal andthe stop identification signal to the given case of use and to theexpected digital data.

In a case of use, the digital data can be text data containing messagesfor a plurality of users of a device 2. A start identification signalmay then be formed by an identification signal which identifies a userof a device 2 and which, for example, includes the name of the user. Inthe present case, another nominal start identification signal is definedin the identification signal detector 80 of each device 2. A uniformnominal stop identification signal can be defined for all the devices 2.Digital data transmitted by the data network are received by all thedevices 2 connected to the data network. When the user of the device 2expects digital data with messages destined for the user from the datanetwork, the wait recording mode can be activated by actuation of therecording key 73. In the wait recording mode, a recording informationsignal W can be stored in a temporary store 50 by consecutiveoverwriting in a manner corresponding to that illustrated in FIG. 5.

When the identification signal detector 80 detects the given startidentification signal in the received digital data, the identificationsignal detector 80 supplies activation information AI to the operatingmeans 46, as a result of which the continuous recording mode isactivated. In the continuous recording mode, a recording informationsignal W can be stored in the magneto-optical disc 81 in a mannercorresponding to that described with reference to FIG. 5. The digitaldata which follow the given start identification signal and whichcontain a message for the user of the device 2, are stored in themagneto-optical disc 81 in the continuous recording mode until theidentification signal detector 80 detects a stop identification signal.The data storage device formed by the device 2 has the advantage thatupon the occurrence of the given start identification signal in thedigital data, there is no loss of any part of the message when therecording begins due to the processing times in the identificationsignal detector 80 and the operating means 46, because the recordinginformation signals W stored in the temporary store 50 are merged withrecording information signals W stored in further areas of themagneto-optical disc 81. As a result of this, messages intended for theuser of the device 2 are collected on the magneto-optical disc 81 of thedevice 2 without any part of the messages at the beginning of themessage being lost. These messages can be reproduced by the user of thedevice 2 with the aid of the monitor 83 at an arbitrary later instant byactuation of the reproduction key 76.

It is to be noted that a start identification signal can alternativelybe formed by a given sequence of digital data represented as a givengraph, a given pattern or a given logo by a computer graphics program.Likewise, a start identification signal can be formed by a givensequence of digital data corresponding to a word of a digitized speechsignal. Upon detection of this given sequence of digital data, thecontinuous recording mode is then activated, without any part of theinformation signal at the beginning of the recording being lost.

FIG. 8 shows, diagrammatically, a device 2 in accordance with a fourthembodiment of the invention, which is constructed as a video recorderfor the recording of video signals from a supervisory camera 84 during avery long supervision period. A video signal supplied to the informationsignal input 8 of the device 2 can be applied to the processing means33, which include, input processing means 37 and recording processingmeans 38, the processing means 33 supplying a recording informationsignal W. The device 2 has holder means 70 constructed to hold amagnetic-tape cassette 5 and from which a previously insertedmagnetic-tape cassette 5 can also be removed. The magnetic-tape cassette5 accommodates a magnetic tape 85 which forms a record carrier. In knownmanner, recording information signals W can be recorded on the magnetictape 85, the speed of the magnetic tape being controlled by controlmeans 48 via two operating connections 29 and 30. FIG. 9 shows areas ofa magnetic tape 85 in which a recording information signal W is recordedand which form a temporary store 50 and a further temporary store 86.

By actuation of a recording key 73, wait information 87 can be appliedto the operating means 46, as a result of which a wait recording mode isactivated in the device 2. The operating means 46 records a recordinginformation signal in an information signal packet IP₁ in the temporarystore 50 by consecutive overwriting in the wait recording mode. Thetemporary store 50 can then have, for example, a maximum recording timeof 5 minutes.

The device 2 shown in FIG. 8 has a detector input 88 connected to themovement sensor 89, which is arranged in the direct vicinity of thesupervisory camera 84 and which enables movements within a range of, forexample, 5 meters to be detected and, upon detection of a movement, adetection result to be applied to the detector input 88. The detectorinput 88 is connected to the operating means 46, thus enabling such adetection result to be applied to the operating means 46 as activationinformation 90. The operating means 46 records address information AD ina successor address packet IN₁ when activation information 90 occurs,this address information AD specifying from which position on themagnetic tape 85 a recording information signal W is recorded in aninformation signal packet IP₂ after the occurrence of the activationinformation 90. This position on the magnetic tape 85, which isspecified by the address information in the successor address packetIN₁, is marked, symbolically, by a successor pointer link 91.

The device 2 further has a timer 92 which supplies further waitinformation 93 to the operating means 46 upon expiration of a given timeinterval after the occurrence of the activation information 90, forexample, after 2 minutes. When the further wait information 93 appears,the operating means 46 define an area of the magnetic tape 85 as afurther temporary store 86.

In the wait recording mode, in response to an appropriate drive from themovement sensor 89, the operating means 46 can record a recordinginformation signal W in an information signal packet IP₃ by consecutiveoverwriting until further activation information 94 occurs. When thefurther activation information 94 occurs, address information AD can berecorded in a successor address packet IN₃, this address information ADspecifying from which position on the magnetic tape 85 the recordinginformation signal W is recorded in an information signal packet IP₂after the occurrence of the further activation information 94. Thisposition from which the recording information signal W is recorded inthe information signal packet IP₄ is marked by a further successorpointer link 95.

Thus, it is achieved that a video signal supplied by the supervisorycamera 84 is initially recorded in the temporary store 50 and, when themovement sensor 89 detects a movement within the detection range of themovement sensor 89, recording is continued in an information signalpacket IP₂. Furthermore, it is achieved that during reproduction, amerging section 96, in which the video signal from the supervisorycamera 84 has been recorded for a period of time before detection of amovement by the movement sensor 89, can be reproduced before therecording information signal W recorded in the information signal packetIP₂. Likewise, it is possible, during reproduction, to reproduce afurther merging section 97 after the reproduction of the informationsignal packet IP₂ and before the reproduction of the information signalpacket IP₄. Thus, it is achieved, in a particularly simple manner, thatthe video signal is also recorded on the magnetic tape 85 before theoccurrence of activation information 90 or 94 and the signal quality isnot degraded by an additional recording and reproduction process.Moreover, a cheaper video recorder is obtained, in which a separatetemporary store has been dispensed with as a result of the use of anarea of the record carrier as temporary store.

The reproduction mode can be activated by actuating the reproduction key76. When the reproduction mode is active, a position from which areproduction information signal R can be reproduced from the magnetictape 85 can be defined by means of a position key 75. In this way, it isalso possible to reproduce those parts of the information signal packetsIP₁ and IP₃ which are available in the two temporary stores 50 and 86but not in the two merging sections 96 and 97. As a consequence, if theperiod of time, which is dictated by the reproduction time of areproduction information signal R from the two merging sections 96 and97, is too short for an accurate examination of the video signal fromthe supervisory camera 84, it can be extended to the total recordingtime in the two temporary stores 50 and 86. Conversely, if the period oftime of the two merging sections 96 and 97 is adequate, it is convenientfor the user of the device 2 that the video signal from the supervisorycamera 84 can be reproduced both before the occurrence of a detectionresult from the movement sensor 89 and after the occurrence of adetection result from the movement sensor 89.

It is to be noted that as a result of the provision of a linkage key, asprovided in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, in the device 2 shown in FIG.8, the period of time can also be reduced subsequently in that theaddress information AD contained in the successor address packet IN₁ isstored in the merging section 96 at a position selected by the positionkey 75.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for recording an information signalsupplied by a signal source in a record carrier, comprising: processingmeans for processing an information signal and for supplying a recordinginformation signal; input means for supplying an activation informationand a wait information; and operating means, cooperating with at least apart of the processing means and with the input means, for recording aninformation signal in the record carrier depending on the occurrence ofactivation information and for consecutively overwriting storage of arecording information signal in a temporary store at least depending onthe occurrence of wait information, wherein: the operating meansarbitrarily assigns an area of the record carrier as the temporarystore; the operating means starts a consecutively overwriting storage ofthe recording information signal in the temporary store depending on theoccurrence of the wait information, and stops the consecutivelyoverwriting storage of the recording information signal in the temporarystore depending on the occurrence of the activation information; andwherein the recording information signal, formed by the processing meansand recorded by the operating means, includes information signal packetsand address signal packet, the information signal packets correspondingto the information signals, and the address signal packets includingaddress information, whereby, during a reproduction of informationsignal packets recorded in the temporary store and information signalpackets recorded in further areas of the record carrier, the timesequence of the reproduced information signal packets is defined for thepurpose of linking the information signal packets.
 2. The device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the operating means generates and records atleast one item of linkage address information depending on theoccurrence of the activation information following the wait information,said at least one item of linkage address information enabling, duringreproduction of information signal packets recorded in the recordcarrier, information signal packets reproduced from the temporary storeand further reproduced information signal packets to be linked togetherin their appropriate time sequence, and enabling the first informationsignal packet recorded in the record carrier, depending on theoccurrence of the activation information, to be linked, duringreproduction, after the last information signal packet recorded in thetemporary store.
 3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein theoperating means generates and records at least one item of linkageaddress information, said at least one item of linkage addressinformation enabling, during reproduction, an information signal packet,recorded in the temporary store, to be linked after the informationsignal packet recorded in the record carrier directly before theoccurrence of the wait information.
 4. The device as claimed in claim 3,wherein the operating means generates and records at least one item oflinkage address information, said at least one item of linkage addressinformation enabling, during reproduction, an information signal packetrecorded in the temporary store and arranged as the next informationsignal packet to be overwritten upon termination of the consecutivelyoverwriting storage in the temporary store, to be linked after theinformation signal packet recorded in the record carrier directly beforethe occurrence of the wait information.
 5. The device as claimed inclaim 3, wherein the operating means generates and records at least oneitem of linkage address information, said at least one item of linkageaddress information enabling, during reproduction, an information signalpacket recorded in the temporary store and arranged at a given distancebefore the last information signal packet recorded upon termination ofthe consecutively overwriting storage in the temporary store, to belinked after the information signal packet recorded in the recordcarrier directly before the occurrence of the wait information.
 6. Thedevice as claimed in claim 2, wherein operating means overwrites addressinformation recorded in the record carrier with linkage addressinformation.
 7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operatingmeans selects, as the temporary store, an area of the record carrierdirectly adjoining the area of the record carrier in which aninformation signal packet has been recorded immediately before theoccurrence of the wait information.
 8. The device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the record carrier comprises a random-access or quasi randomaccess memory.
 9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recordcarrier is built in the device.
 10. The device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the device further comprises a holder means for removablyholding the record carrier.
 11. The device as claimed in claim 10,wherein the record carrier comprises a solid-state memory accommodatedin a protective carrier.
 12. The device as claimed in claim 10, whereinthe record carrier comprises an optically scanned disc.
 13. The deviceas claimed in claim 10, wherein the record carrier comprises amagnetically scanned disc.
 14. The device as claimed in claim 10,wherein the record carrier comprises a magnetic-tape cassetteaccommodating a magnetic tape.
 15. The device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the device comprises a video recorder for recording videosignals and audio signals.
 16. The device as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe device comprises a dictation device for recording speech signals,said dictation device being speech controlled whereby said dictationdevice is activatable by speech signals to be recorded.
 17. The deviceas claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a data storagedevice for recording digital data supplied by a signal source.
 18. Amethod of recording an information signal in a record carrier, withoutloss of part of an information signal at the beginning of a recording,the method comprising the steps: processing an information signal andsupplying a recording information signal; generating an activationinformation and a wait information; recording the recording informationsignal depending on the occurrence of the activation information; andstoring, in a consecutively overwriting fashion, the recordinginformation signal in a temporary store at least depending on theoccurrence of the wait information, wherein said method furthercomprises the steps: selecting an arbitrarily assignable area of therecord carrier as the temporary store; starting a consecutivelyoverwriting storage of the recording information signal in the temporarystore depending on the occurrence of the wait information; and stoppingthe consecutively overwriting storage of the recording informationsignal in the temporary store depending on the occurrence of theactivation information, and wherein the recording information signalincludes information signal packets and address signal packets, theinformation signal packets corresponding to the information signals, andthe address signal packets including address information, whereby,during a reproduction of information signal packets recorded in thetemporary store and information signal packets recorded in further areasof the record carrier, the time sequence of the reproduced informationsignal packets is defined for the purpose of linking the informationsignal packets.
 19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein saidmethod further comprises generating and recording at least one item oflinkage address information depending on the occurrence of theactivation information following the wait information, said at least oneitem of linkage address information enabling, during reproduction ofinformation signal packets recorded in the record carrier, informationsignal packets reproduced from the temporary store and furtherreproduced information signal packets to be linked together in theirappropriate time sequence, and enabling also the first informationsignal packet recorded in the record carrier depending on the occurrenceof activation information to be linked, during reproduction, after thelast information signal packet recorded in the temporary store.
 20. Themethod as claimed in claim 19, wherein the method further comprisesgenerating and recording at least one item of linkage addressinformation, said at least one item of linkage address informationenabling, during reproduction, an information signal packet recorded inthe temporary store to be linked after the information signal packetrecorded in the record carrier directly before the occurrence of thewait information.
 21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein themethod further comprises generating and recording at least one item oflinkage address information, said at least one item of linkage addressinformation enabling, during reproduction, an information signal packetrecorded in the temporary store and arranged as the next informationsignal packet to be overwritten upon termination of the consecutivelyoverwriting storage in the temporary store, to be linked after theinformation signal packet recorded in the record carrier directly beforethe occurrence of the wait information.
 22. The method as claimed inclaim 20, wherein the method further comprises generating and recordingat least one item of linkage address information, said at least one itemof linkage address information enabling, during reproduction, aninformation signal packet recorded in the temporary store and arrangedat a given distance before the last information signal packet recordedupon termination of the consecutively overwriting storage in thetemporary store, to be linked after the information signal packetrecorded in the record carrier directly before the occurrence of thewait information.
 23. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein addressinformation recorded in the record carrier is overwritten with linkageaddress information.
 24. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein thearea of the record carrier selected as the temporary store directlyadjoins the area of the record carrier in which an information signalpacket has been recorded immediately before the occurrence of the waitinformation.
 25. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the recordcarrier comprises a random-access or quasi random access memory forrecording the recording information signal.